In the latest edition of “LaVar Ball is a genius,” news broke today that LaVar is going to start his own Big Baller Basketball League for high school graduates who do not want to attend college. This is a very good idea. The One and Done rule is so dumb and hurts both college and the NBA. You either let the kids come out of high school (which I’m in favor of) or make them play at least 2 years of college. If you’re a stud in high school and you know you are going to be a one and done, there’s no way you’re focusing on school. Zero chance. Ben Simmons came out and said academics are pointless for one and done players. He’s 100% right. As soon as your season ends, most players are going to drop out of school to prepare for the draft. Do you really think these kids learned a lot in their 6 to 7 month stay at college? Why force them to go to school?

Now, instead of going overseas to play basketball or playing in the G-League, LaVar is giving players another option: to play in the Big Baller League. Frankly, it’s not a bad option. The exposure will be infinitely better than playing in the G-League. The Big Baller League is exactly what the G-League wants to do, but the G-League just hasn’t figured out how to get kids to skip college for their league. Sure, top players will still elect to go to major college programs. I’m not saying BB League will get the top studs, but the idea of paying players to focus on basketball and basketball only before entry into the NBA draft is pretty lucrative.

I’m about to beat a dead horse for the millionth time. LaVar Ball is playing chess while everyone else is playing checkers. He has the media in the palm of his hand. Everything he says or does creates headlines. Big Baller Brand continues to put on marketing clinics. Big Baller shoes were not well-received, but you can’t put a price on the publicity and press they drew towards the BBB. Any publicity is good publicity. Now, with a basketball league, the Big Baller Brand will continue to reach new heights.

P.S. This league was created so LiAngelo and LaMelo don’t have to play in Lithuania. No facts to prove it, but this is what I’m going to tell myself.